


strange and beautiful

by creaturefromspace



Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Band Fic, F/F, Fluff, Jealousy, Pining, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creaturefromspace/pseuds/creaturefromspace
Summary: Marceline sees Bonnie at one of her shows and it's love at first sight.
Relationships: Princess Bubblegum/Marceline
Comments: 23
Kudos: 125





	strange and beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> My own take on how Bonnie and Marceline could have fallen in love (because I just couldn't get these two out of my head). Enjoy! :)

“Whoa, who’s that?” Marceline asked.

The vampire queen had been floating a couple feet higher than usual, but found her boots hitting the solid wood of the stage beneath her at the sight of the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen. She could still make out the pink of her hair from where she stood, watching as the other girl conversed with Lady Rainicorn, a good friend of Marceline’s.

“Who?” Lumpy Space Princess asked, shoving Marceline out of the way so she could look from where she was standing. “Princess Bubblegum?”

“She’s a princess?”

Marceline wasn’t exactly the most proper girl in Ooo, and based off of how the other princesses treated her, being proper went a long way with them. She should have been put off with just that tiny bit of information about the girl, but for some reason, she found herself even more intrigued. Princesses never came to see any of her shows. Maybe there was hope yet.

“Duh, she’s a princess. Haven’t you ever heard of the Candy Kingdom?”

Marceline looked at her best friend, blinking. She had been gone for longer than her trips usually lasted. A lot had changed in her absence, and a lot had stayed the same. It wasn’t too hard to roll right back in and adjust as she went along. The Candy Kingdom was news to her. She made a mental note to check it out some time.

“What’s it like?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Everything’s made out of candy. It’s too pink! But there are a few cuties who live over there,” LSP replied, predictably making it about boys.

Marceline looked out into the crowd again, watching as the princess threw her head back in a laugh. What she wouldn’t give to be able to know what it was that she found so funny. Marceline could be pretty funny too sometimes. She bet she could make her laugh.

“Do you know Princess Bubblegum?”

“Everyone knows Princess Bubblegum,” LSP replied, crossing her arms.

“Oh.” Marceline looked away. “What’s she like?”

“Oh, my glob. No. No way, Marceline. You cannot be into her. She’s not cool enough to hang around people like us,” LSP said, frowning angrily. “And besides, there’s no way that royal bore is into girls.”

Marceline felt her spirits drop at her friend’s words. She hadn’t even thought of that before. Marceline knew she was gay ever since she was a kid. Romance wasn’t even something that was ever really on her mind. She was way too busy rocking out or traveling what was left of the world. Besides a few dates and kisses here and there, she really didn’t know what being in a relationship was like. She’d never really wondered about one until now.

“You’re probably right,” she conceded, sighing as she gave the princess one last lingering look.

“Hey, Marceline, don’t be like that,” LSP said, looking nervous now that she’d evidently made her feel so badly. “Look, I’ll find out for sure, okay? Somebody’s gotta know which side she’s blowing bubbles on.”

“You’d really do that for me?”

“Of course! Plus, I love being in the know so hopefully I can find out some juicy info by digging around.”

Marceline had to laugh. LSP only ever did favors if she was getting something out of them in return, but she wasn’t about to start complaining. Not now. Not if it meant knowing whether or not the gorgeous girl in the crowd was into women or not.

“Yo, Marceline, you’re on,” Mr. Fox said, disappearing back behind the red curtain along the back of the stage.

Marceline turned around and saw that while she’d been caught up in her own thing, the crew had set up the stage with all of her equipment. Her buddy, Death, was already good to go with his guitar in hand. She pushed LSP towards her drum kit while she went over to her bass. The red axe she’d made into the most badass instrument in all of Ooo had a familiar heaviness to it that rested solidly in her arms. She reached for the microphone in front of her as the stage lights focused in on her and the audience fell to silence.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” she called out, earning a loud series of cheering in response. “You punks ready to hear some good jamming tonight?” Another loud cheer. “Good. Let’s get this party started.”

Death started in on the guitar intro to the first song of their set and Marceline found herself nodding along with the beat, immersing herself completely in the music once she came in with the bass. LSP was amazing on the drums and gave the music that extra bit of character that had the entire crowd jumping and shoving in excitement. They only went crazier when Marceline’s hauntingly beautiful voice came in, carrying the song along as she floated off the ground a couple inches.

Their set went by so fast. Marceline was thankful the stage lights were so bright, she couldn’t see past the first couple rows of people. Otherwise, she may have been too distracted by the princess to give the hell of a performance she did that night. She knows she killed it, and that made her smug. Especially the part in their encore song where she floated several feet into the air and rocked out her guitar solo with her amp at full blast.

She went backstage when she finished, talking briefly to Death before he descended back to the underworld. LSP was eager to pull her away, and Marceline knew it was her friend’s favorite part of the night. The part where they went back out there and talked to their fans after the show. LSP loved the attention, but Marceline found it to be awkward talking to people as a performer who she just considered to be her friends. The support was cool and all, but it wasn’t why she played music.

“I know you hate this, but think of it this way: maybe Princess Bubblegum will still be there and you can talk to her.”

Marceline instantly perked up. “Yeah, you’re right.”

But as they emerged back out into the night, the bubblegum princess was nowhere in sight. A swarm of people ran over to meet them, smothering them in compliments and asking for signatures. LSP happily obliged while Marceline only half paid attention, disappointed in her missed opportunity to meet the girl who made her palms sweat.

“Maybe she’ll be at the next one,” LSP told her once everyone else had gone home.

Marceline remained frowning, bummed out despite how awesome her night had gone. Tonight had really been her one opportunity to talk to the princess without raising suspicion. There was no way she could just show up at her castle and make casual conversation. If she wasn’t at their next performance, Marceline was cosmically screwed.

“The next one is three weeks from now,” Marceline realized, pouting all over again.

LSP shrugged. “So, what? You’ve been alive for centuries and three weeks is too long for you? You gotta have more patience than that.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“And I can probably get down to business in three weeks and find out if she’s into girls or not,” she pointed out.

“That’s right!” Marceline beamed. “Thanks, LSP.”

“No problem, girl. Now, let’s blow this joint. I’m craving tacos.”

\-----

“According to Turtle Princess, she’s straight as a bookshelf,” LSP reported, shoving an entire corn dog into her mouth.

Marceline frowned. “Right.”

This was the tenth time her friend had updated her on her mission to uncover the truth behind Princess Bubblegum’s sexuality in three weeks, and all ten times had resulted in the same exact thing. The princess was straight, and Marceline was screwed.

“You think she’s out there tonight?” Marceline asked, moreso to herself, but LSP took it upon herself to respond anyway.

“I doubt it. She probably hated it the first time and never wants to come back. Why else would she bolt out of here so fast after the show?”

“Thanks, LSP,” Marceline muttered, peeking out from behind the curtain anyway.

“Why does it even matter? She doesn’t swing that way!”

Marceline would have probably answered that question with some sort of snarky reply about why anything matters, if her eyes didn’t catch on a glimmer of pink. She was there! Instantly, her stomach fluttered with butterflies, at war to escape the confinement. Lady was with her like the last time, and they chatted together while Marceline watched with a big grin on her face. Princess Bubblegum looked even more beautiful than she’d remembered.

“What are you looking at?” LSP asked, pulling the curtain from her to peer out as well. When she saw who had stolen her friend’s attention, she gasped. “Oh, my glob! She’s here!”

“Tonight’s my chance, LSP,” Marceline said, determined. “After the show, I’m floating right over to her and introducing myself.”

“But what about all our fans?”

“I’m sure you can receive enough attention for the both of us.”

There was no arguing with that logic, and Marceline knew it. And for the second time that month, Marceline put on a damn good show, confident that it would impress the princess who surely was into the rock music she performed. And after the final curtains parted and her axe bass was set aside in safety, Marceline came back into the cool night air and made a beeline for Princess Bubblegum.

Much to her surprise, the princess was still seated in her row, looking like she was in no rush at all to get out of there. Lady was still next to her, which created the perfect excuse for Marceline to drop down in front of the two.

“Hey, Lady. Thanks for coming tonight,” Marceline said, trying to keep her interest pinned at the rainicorn to add to the allure of coolness.

Lady responded back in Korean, a language Marceline only partially understood. She got the gist of it, though. Her friend had basically said it was a good show and that’s all she really needed to know. Marceline looked over to the princess, extending her hand and trying not to think about how cute she looked from up close.

“Hi, I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Marceline the Vampire Queen.”

Her hand was warm. Marceline wasn’t used to physical contact anymore. Aside from the occasional shove or smack from LSP, the vampire queen found herself making little to no contact with anything living. And that was the way it had been for centuries. She swallowed thickly, pulling her hand back after a second, but not wanting the warmth to go away.

“I’m Bonnie,” the princess introduced, smiling widely.

Her first name. Marceline didn’t even think about what it could have been. None of the other princesses went by their first name. It wasn’t the polite thing to do to refer to a princess by anything other than their royal title. Bonnie. Marceline loved the name.

“So, did you like the show?” Marceline asked, attempting to make good conversation without being obvious.

Bonnie nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! I loved it. I was actually at your last show a few weeks ago. I didn’t want to miss this one either.”

Marceline felt a burst of pride ripple its way through her chest. “Wow, that’s really cool. None of the other princesses like the kind of music I make.”

“I’m not exactly like most princesses.”

“Clearly.”

Bonnie looked a little flushed, and it was only then that Marceline realized she may have been coming on a little too strong. She’d never been conscious of her flirting before. Maybe that was because it never meant anything. She cleared her throat, throwing an uneasy glance towards Lady who was engaged in a conversation with the people behind her.

“Um, so you rule the Candy Kingdom? How is that? I’ve never been,” Marceline said.

Bonnie brightened at the change of conversation. “Oh, you haven’t? It’s a magical place. I created all of the candy people myself.”

“You did?” Marceline felt her eyebrows touch her hairline. “How did you do that?”

“In my lab,” Bonnie replied, like it was easy. “I’m a scientist.”

And Marceline realized another anomaly about the princess. None of the other princesses had any notable skills or aspirations. Their life was purely to rule and nothing more. Their hobbies were basic and approved through generations of royalty. Bonnie being a scientist was as thrilling to Marceline as the fact that she enjoyed her music. This girl was going to drive her crazy.

“You should come visit some time,” Bonnie continued.

“Your lab?”

She laughed. “The Candy Kingdom.”

Marceline felt her cheeks redden. “Oh, right.”

“My lab is a very sacred place for me. Only my most loyal butler is allowed inside,” Bonnie explained, and Marceline could see how serious it was for her. “I’d have to make sure you weren’t evil first before I’d even consider showing you inside.”

Marceline had to laugh. “Evil? Haven’t you heard about my reputation?”

“Sadly, no. All I knew about you was that you make wonderful music. Lady told me about your shows. I wanted to introduce myself last time, but Lady’s my ride home and she had somewhere to be.”

That made sense. Of course it did. LSP had been wrong about her leaving because she hated the music. And that made sense as well. It suddenly registered to her that Bonnie said she’d wanted to speak to her the last time. Maybe her reasoning was fairly innocent, but it sent her heart into a frenzy.

“Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Bonnie.”

She smiled softly. “You too, Marceline.”

Lady said something to Bonnie and what Marceline got from that was that she was ready to go. Bonnie climbed onto Lady’s back, settling in securely before letting Lady know she was safe to go. Lady said a cheerful goodbye to Marceline and Bonnie waved.

“Come by the Candy Kingdom some time. Seriously,” Bonnie called, before she disappeared into the cloudy night sky.

Marceline watched until they were no longer even a dot in her vision. Then she floated down onto the cement, thinking about everything that had just happened. It could have gone worse. She could have made a complete fool out of herself. Or Bonnie could have been really cold towards her. Marceline decided that yes, it had actually gone quite well. She smiled.

She would be making a trip to the Candy Kingdom very soon.

\-----

LSP was right. Everything there was pink. It made spotting the princess a lot more difficult than Marceline would have liked, but she didn’t mind having her look around beforehand. The candy people seemed nice enough. There were the few that screamed at the sight of her, but that was only to be expected. They probably weren’t used to seeing vampires around and it probably didn’t help that it was the middle of the night. Alas, the sun was her enemy and she didn’t have much of a choice.

“Excuse me,” she said, stopping one of the several bananas dressed as a security guard of some sort she’d seen from the moment she’d arrived. “Can you tell me where I can find Princess Bubblegum?”

“Uh, the princess? Well, she’s normally in her castle at night. She doesn’t really get too many visitors around this time,” he answered.

She nodded. “Could you point me towards her castle? I’d like to see her.”

“Hold on one second.” The banana man reached into his belt and pulled out a walkie talkie. “Hey, Princess? There’s someone in the Candy Kingdom looking for you. Says she’d like to see you.”

“Who is it?” Bonnie asked, and Marceline found her lips curling at the staticky sound of her voice coming through the flimsy device.

“Marceline,” she answered before he could ask.

“Um, she says her name is Marceline.”

There was a few seconds of silence followed by an eager, “Send her straight over. I’ll meet her in the garden.”

“Okay, Princess.”

He put the walkie talkie back into his holster, gesturing for Marceline to follow him as he led her through the cozy streets of the Candy Kingdom. Marceline felt her palms sweating, nervous to be face to face with Bonnie for the second time, but more excited than she’d ever been in her life. What a relief to not have Lady there this time.

When they reached the castle, Marceline had to tilt her head all the way back just to see the top of it. The beam of light shining through the window at the very top had to be Bonnie’s room. She could totally float up there if she wanted to. Maybe some other time.

The banana guard took her around the back of the castle where Marceline could see bushes trimmed into intricate shapes and firm, wooden benches. There was a magnificent fountain spouting water into the air right in the heart of it all, and sitting along the edge of it was Bonnie. Marceline floated straight over, smiling sheepishly.

“Hey, Bonnie,” she greeted. “This place is awesome.”

“I’m so pleased you think so,” Bonnie said, folding her hands over her lap as their third party disappeared. “I wasn’t expecting you to come so soon.”

Marceline shrugged, still trying to pretend like she hadn’t been fighting the urge to come sooner. “I had some free time tonight and decided to check it out.”

“I forgot you can’t come out during the day. That must suck.”

“I’m used to it. Besides, I can be outside during the day if I really have to be. I just have to hold an umbrella over my head the whole time and that gets pretty annoying after a while so I tend to avoid the whole thing altogether.”

“I would, too,” Bonnie said, making the vampire queen smile.

Marceline whistled softly, thinking of something else to say to kill the silence. “So, um, why did you want to meet me in your garden? The castle wasn’t tidy enough?”

She was only joking around, but the princess’s face fell and she immediately wanted to take the comment back. Bonnie moved a hand up to her shoulder, rubbing it uncomfortably.

“Actually, I didn’t want Peppermint Butler to see me hanging out with you. He has something against vampires and I knew he wouldn’t understand if I told him that you were different.”

“And here I thought you might be trying to seduce me,” Marceline said, finding it humorous until Bonnie shifted awkwardly. “That was a joke. A dumb one.” She looked around. “So, is that peppermint guy the one who’s allowed in your lab?”

“Yes, I created him to look after me for as long as we’re both here,” Bonnie answered. “I never thought it would backfire until now.”

Marceline put her hands in her pockets. “Um, it’s cool, Bonnie. I mean, I’m sure he only has your best interest at heart. I know a lot of vampires and all of them are assholes. He’s right to not trust them.”

“How did you come to be so different, Marceline?”

“Hey, I can be a real jerk sometimes,” she said, joking again. Bonnie didn’t look amused. “Honestly? I have no idea. Once I learned I can drink color instead of blood, I never found any reason to harm another living soul. It’s way cooler to rock out with my bass than it is to ever hurt anybody.”

“You’re the coolest person I’ve ever met.”

Marceline looked at her, wondering if the princess knew what a compliment it was coming from her. Bonnie looked a little embarrassed, but didn’t take it back. Marceline found her feet landing solidly on the ground again, something that was becoming too much of a coincidence whenever Bonnie was involved.

“Does that mean I’ll see you at my next show?” Marceline asked, wishing for the answer she was looking for.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Marceline smiled. For the second time since meeting Bonnie, she felt a warmth spread throughout her. The first one had been spurred on by a physical touch. This one was purely her own body’s response to knowing the princess cared.

“That’s awesome. I’ll rock out extra hard for you, Bonnie.”

Bonnie blushed. “Well, I should really be heading back to the castle now. I wouldn’t want Peppermint Butler to come looking for me and see us together.”

“Sure.” Marceline tried to hide her disappointment as she watched the princess walk away. “Hey, Bonnie?” The princess paused. “That window at the top of your castle, it’s your room, right?”

Bonnie nodded. “Yeah, why do you ask?”

“No reason.”

But the wheels in Marceline’s head were already turning.

\-----

Although Marceline looked forward to every performance, this one had her more amped than usual. She knew everyone could tell, too. Even her old pal Death knew something was up, and that guy could hardly catch a clue sometimes. She didn’t care, though. She knew Bonnie was going to be out there in that crowd tonight, and that was all that mattered.

“Why aren’t you peeping out from behind the curtain tonight? Have you finally accepted that she’s straight?” LSP asked, staring at Marceline with an unamused expression.

Marceline frowned. “I already told you that she told me herself she would be here tonight. Why would I need to check?”

“I don’t know. She could have been lying to you! Straight girls are liars, Marceline! I’d know. I am one.”

“Well, Bonnie isn’t a liar, okay?”

“Who the lump is Bonnie?”

Marceline was in the process of waxing her bass but stopped, knowing her best friend was about to use up whatever energy she had saved for the night. Although LSP knew she’d talked to Bonnie a couple times since their last show, her best friend still struggled to wrap her head around the princess being as kind as Marceline told her she was.

“Bonnie is Princess Bubblegum’s first name,” Marceline explained.

“So, what? Are you guys on a first name basis now?”

“She never told me to call her anything but Bonnie.”

LSP threw her hands up in the air, clearly frustrated. “I don’t care what she says! You can’t fall for her, Marceline. I will not stand by while my best friend gets her heart broken.”

Marceline felt a little bad as she watched LSP cover her eyes with her hands dramatically. She knew her friend only wanted what was best for her, but Marceline saw no harm in hanging out with Bonnie. If the princess ended up not being into her, it would suck. But she would get past it. LSP had gone after plenty of guys who never felt the same way, and Marceline was only there to encourage her because she knew it was what she wanted.

“I know you don’t want to see me hurt, but I promise you that Bonnie isn’t like that. She’s the sweetest person ever. Look, just give her a chance. How about after the show, you come with me to go talk to her?”

LSP looked wary but eventually agreed. “Okay, fine. I’ll scope her out for myself.”

“Great. Just don’t say anything stupid.” Marceline smiled. “How did you guys meet, anyway?”

“She invited me over for tea one day, but I only showed up for the free meal. We really didn’t talk all that much.”

Of course. There was nothing surprising about that story whatsoever. LSP would show up anywhere - invited or not - if there was food involved. Marceline couldn’t help but laugh. There was a reason they were best friends, after all.

Not long after their conversation, they were needed on stage. They gave another awe-worthy performance, and Marceline thought she could make out Bonnie a little more clearer in the crowd that night. The princess must have been moving closer to the stage with each performance. As soon as their set ended, Marceline dragged LSP over to where Bonnie and Lady sat, listening to her complain the entire time about not being able to meet their fans. Not that they were bothered by it. The crowd started to disperse pretty quickly once they realized there would be no meet up that night.

“Hey, Bonnie,” Marceline said, floating right beside the princess.

Bonnie smiled that warm smile that made her insides sizzle. “Hi, Marceline. Great show tonight. And you too, LSP.”

LSP looked at her, trying to come off as cold, but failing once the compliment was issued. “Thanks. We’re all, like, really good at performing. You know, it was my idea to start a band.”

“No it wasn’t,” Marceline said, furrowing her brows together. “Death and I started the band and then you learned how to play the drums so that you could join.”

“Look, none of that matters! All that matters is that I’m now the best musician in Ooo.”

Marceline rolled her eyes but didn’t argue with her. Bonnie giggled behind one hand, and Marceline smiled at her, happy to see the princess as amused by her best friend as she was. Lady greeted them in Korean and they made light conversation until she got caught up talking to her friends from last time. Marceline was a bit relieved by that. She wanted Bonnie to have all of her attention.

“So, how’ve you been, Bonnie?” Marceline asked.

“Ruling the Candy Kingdom can be pretty stressful at times, but other than that, I’ve been great. I’ve been hoping you’d pay me another visit,” Bonnie admitted.

Instantly, heat rushed to Marceline’s face. She would have never guessed that Bonnie had wanted her to come back. The princess had been so secretive about their visit the first time, she just expected their interactions to remain limited to activities outside of the Candy Kingdom. The way Bonnie was looking at her told her she had thought wrong.

“Um, I didn’t know if it was okay or not for me to come back. I wouldn’t want your butler dude getting after you about being friends with a vampire.”

Bonnie smiled. “I was wondering what we are. Friends.” She tilted her head to the side decisively. “I like the sound of that.”

Marceline didn’t think her face could get any warmer, but it did. The idea of being Bonnie’s friend was truly a nice one. The tough part came with the idea of them only ever being friends. For now, she decided to relish in their newly established title.

“So you guys are friends. Whatever. Just don’t forget that Marceline already has a best friend in her life, and you’re looking at her,” LSP said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Bonnie didn’t look like she minded. “I won’t forget.”

“Good.” LSP looked satisfied enough with that response. “So, let’s get down to business then. Are you seeing anyone?”

Marceline wanted to smack her friend, but settled for smacking herself on the forehead instead. She really didn’t even want to see the look on Bonnie’s face, but she couldn’t resist a peek through parted fingers. Bonnie didn’t look angry or horrified like she’d thought she would. Instead, she looked amused. Could she have been?

“You don’t have to answer that, Bonnie,” she said, glaring at her best friend.

Bonnie laughed. “No, it’s okay. Technically, I’m supposed to be looking for a suitor, but I’m way too busy to even think about dating right now. Besides, there aren’t any cool guys left in Ooo.”

“Speak for yourself, sister!” LSP looked offended.

Marceline didn’t know how to interpret that response. On one hand, it sucked that she was supposed to be looking for some loser guy to date, but on the other, that clearly wasn’t at the top of her to-do list. She also couldn’t really decipher her last comment. Did it mean she thought there were cool girls to date in Ooo? Did she like girls at all?

“What about you, LSP? You seeing anyone?” Bonnie asked.

“I’m just playing the field. You know how it is. I haven’t really found anyone worth committing to.”

“Right.” Bonnie turned to Marceline with seemingly more interest. “And you, Marceline?”

“Me?” Marceline let out a gust of air, waving her hand and trying to play it cool. “Do you even have to ask?”

“So you are seeing someone?”

LSP let out a laugh. “Marceline hasn’t dated anyone in over a century.”

Marceline frowned, embarrassed. “Look, I’ve just been really focused on my music, okay? I’ll get around to dating.”

Bonnie smiled gently at her. “When you can live forever, why rush it, right?”

It was strange how things worked. Marceline would have never thought she’d be able to be comforted by another person the way Bonnie did for her. Gone were the negative feelings of self-doubt and despair, now replaced with hope and an appreciation for the girl who understood how she was feeling without her even having to say it. Was it really possible they had only just met a month and a half ago?

Lady joined their conversation again, and Marceline knew it was time for them to go. Disappointment filled her for a few brief moments, until Bonnie caught her hand and held it in goodbye. Marceline knew she must have looked shocked, but there really was no getting used to the way her cold body turned warm around the princess. And from one fleeting moment to the next, Bonnie was gone and Marceline was still tingling.

“Yeah, she’s totally straight,” LSP said, bringing Marceline back to reality. “You have no chance at getting with that.”

\-----

About a month later, Marceline found herself at the outdoor market with LSP. They were there to grab a few groceries for the week, as they did often. Not that LSP could afford to pay for her food with the urgent way she spent their gig money on material items, but Marceline always covered her anyway. She didn’t have it in her to let her friend starve. Even if it would teach her a lesson about priorities.

A flower stand selling pink roses caught her eye as they walked by, and her mind went to Bonnie. She’d only seen the princess once in a month’s time, and that had been at her gig a couple weeks ago. Marceline had debated paying another visit to the Candy Kingdom, but something about the way Bonnie was getting her to feel intimidated her. She had no control over how fast she was falling for her, and she thought the best solution was to not make it any worse by paying her constant visits.

“Isn’t that your friend over there?” LSP asked, and Marceline followed the direction her finger was pointing and spotted Lady.

They walked over to her and exchanged greetings like normal, except Marceline was looking all around hoping Bonnie would be with her. No sight of the princess, though. Lady had something strange on her neck, and when she spoke, her voice sounded aged. And she was speaking in English!

“Whoa, what is that thing?” Marceline asked, figuring the device was what was allowing Lady to communicate with them in a language other than Korean.

“Yeah, what the glob is wrong with your voice?” LSP added.

Lady laughed. “Princess Bubblegum made it for me. It’s so that I can communicate easier with other people. Now, my conversations aren’t as limited.”

“That’s really awesome of her,” Marceline said.

Her stomach felt funny. Bonnie was so thoughtful and kind. It didn’t surprise her that she would go out of her way to make this device for one of her friends. Bonnie was always thinking about other people. That’s what made her such a good princess. It’s also what kept Marceline up all day. She couldn’t get the girl out of her head.

“I don’t know how you can spend so much time with her,” LSP said, referring to Bonnie. “She’s no fun at all.”

“Oh, she can be lots of fun,” Lady argued. “Maybe you just need the chance to get to know her.”

“Like that’ll happen.” LSP rolled her eyes and the materials at a nearby booth caught her attention. “Oh, my glob. I’m outta here.”

Marceline chuckled at her best friend’s behavior, knowing she didn’t need to explain to Lady why she acted the way she did. Everyone in Ooo knew exactly the kind of person LSP was. Everyone was past questioning it.

“So, what do you think of Bonnie?” Lady asked her.

Marceline felt her stomach drop. She didn’t expect the conversation to stay on the beautiful princess, and she was afraid Lady would be able to see straight through her. She wasn’t exactly subtle when it came to her emotions. She figured the only savior was the old man voice Lady was talking to her in. The amusement would hopefully cover up the nerves.

“Bonnie? Um, she’s cool. She told me you were the one who told her about my shows. Thank you for spreading the word.”

“Of course. It’s rare to find someone who hasn’t heard of your band.” Lady stared at her with a glint in her eyes. “You know, that isn’t the only reason I convinced her to come.”

“Oh, it’s not?”

Lady shook her head slowly. “I thought you two would hit it off. I was hoping she’d be your type.”

Marceline didn’t know if she could look any paler than she already did, but if she ever were to, now was the chance. “Bonnie’s gay?”

“I have no idea,” Lady said, and Marceline felt her shoulders sag. “But if anyone’s going to find out, it’d be you.”

“Wait, did you tell Bonnie that I’m gay?”

“No. That’s not my business to spread around.”

Marceline smiled. “Right. Thanks, Lady.”

“Don’t thank me until you guys seal the deal. I’m holding out hope for the two of you. I can tell that you’re into her and she talks about you all the time.”

“She does?” Marceline felt like singing. “What does she say?”

Lady shrugged. “She talks about your band and how good your music is. Even sings some of your songs when she’s focused on something sometimes. She told me about your visit to the castle and wonders if you’ll come by again.”

Marceline rubbed one of her shoulders guiltily. “Yeah, I’ve kind of been avoiding her lately. I think I’m getting in over my head. I don’t want to reach the point of no return without knowing if she’s even into girls or not. She makes me feel things I’ve never felt in all the centuries I’ve been alive.”

“Sounds like the real deal,” Lady said. “You should tell her how you feel.”

Marceline shook her head. “Are you kidding me? I don’t think I could stand the embarrassment of her rejecting me.”

“Don’t focus on that. Instead, think about how great it would feel if she felt the same way. You guys would be the biggest power couple in all of Ooo. The kind, smart princess and the cool, rocker vampire? The love story practically writes itself.”

Marceline couldn’t help but chuckle as her cheeks burned. “Yeah, well, LSP doesn’t think I should pursue her.”

“And you’re taking advice about love from her, why?”

“Good point.”

They both laughed. They didn’t talk for much longer, but it wouldn’t have made a difference if they had. Lady’s words had left such an impact on Marceline that the vampire could not stop thinking about them for the rest of the night. There was a chance that Bonnie could be into her, and after talking to Lady, it looked like a decent one. Maybe she had been too quick to throw in the towel. It was time to get this back on track.

\-----

“So, I heard you’re a groupie.”

Bonnie’s head shot up into the air, meeting the eyes of Marceline who was floating a foot or two above her. The vampire floated down until she was hovering a couple inches above the ground, directly facing Bonnie who was sitting on a stone bench. They were just outside of her castle.

“What?”

“Lady told me she catches you singing my songs sometimes,” Marceline elaborated, watching as Bonnie’s cheeks turned a couple shades pinker than they naturally were.

“Oh.” Bonnie stared at the ground. “So you have a few catchy songs. It doesn’t make me a groupie.”

“Guess I was just hoping.”

Bonnie looked up into her eyes again and Marceline smiled at her. It had been a complete spur of the moment decision to drop by the Candy Kingdom. Marceline hadn’t even noticed she was near until she could see the castle just over the horizon. Surprisingly, it had been almost effortless to locate Bonnie. The princess had been writing some formulas down in her notebook when Marceline found her.

“When were you and Lady hanging out?” Bonnie asked, tucking her notepad away.

Marceline smirked at her. “Jealous?”

“Why would I be?”

“You want me all to yourself.”

Marceline had found some confidence between the last time she’d spoken to Lady and now. It was nice to be back to her usual, cocky self, but she wasn’t expecting it to last too long. Bonnie looked flushed, which only served to spur her flirtation on.

“So what if I do?” Bonnie asked.

Shit.

Guess it was back to square one. Marceline felt her smirk fall from her face as her feet hit the ground. She was not expecting Bonnie to return the banter. Not at all. Gone, was the upper hand she’d momentarily held, replaced with a nervousness that made her want to fly off into the nearest cave.

“Relax, Marcy.” Bonnie laughed. “I’m only messing with you.”

The nickname did nothing to still her unbeating heart. If anything, it made things worse. How was it that this girl had such an effect on her? She couldn’t even think straight. No pun intended.

“Right.” Marceline cleared her throat. “So, what were you up to? Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Never. I was just working on some equations for one of my experiments.”

“I saw the thing you made for Lady. It’s really awesome. I could tell she really appreciated it.”

“I’m happy to hear she’s making good use of it. I was afraid she wouldn’t like it as much since I couldn’t find a way to alter the voices just yet. I’m working on it.”

Marceline laughed at the memory of how Lady had sounded. “There’s no rush. I kinda like the old man's voice. Makes me feel like I’m talking to my grandpa or something.”

Bonnie looked intrigued. “Did you know your grandparents?”

“Uhh, no. I barely even knew my parents, but that’s a story for another time.”

“Family’s pretty complicated, huh?”

“You can say that again.” Marceline let out a huff of air, taking a seat next to Bonnie on the bench. “I’m happy I was able to see you tonight. I wasn’t planning on coming by, but I just sorta found myself here.”

“I’m glad you did. I was almost starting to get the feeling you were avoiding me.”

Marceline swallowed thickly, but didn’t comment. “I need to write a new song for the next show since it’s our last of the year, but I’m stuck. Know anything about getting out of a funk like that?”

Bonnie put her pen to her chin, thinking. “Have you tried writing somewhere new?”

“Yeah, but there’s always other people around, distracting me. My house is the only place I can ever get some real privacy.”

“It might be easier if you wrote a song about something you love. Why don’t you write about the color red?”

Marceline laughed. “Well, at least it’s an idea.”

“I’m sorry. You just don’t talk to me about yourself too much. That was all I had. What other things do you love?”

“I don’t know.” She took a minute to think about it. “I guess I love books. And scary movies. Oh, and the way snow feels!”

“I love the way snow feels, too,” Bonnie agreed, and they smiled at one another. “Well, there’s a start. Why not try to write a song about snow?”

Marceline nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll try it. Thank you, Bonnie. I really appreciate the help.”

“Any time.”

They made small talk for a few more minutes, and then Marceline took off into the night to try and give her songwriting another go. She would see Bonnie soon enough. Her next performance was only a couple weeks away.

\-----

Marceline clenched and unclenched her fists. There were more people outside than ever before. She didn’t know what had caused the insane turnout, but LSP and Death were thrilled about it. Not nearly as thrilled as they had been when they heard and mastered her new song, but thrilled, nonetheless. Performing new music never intimidated her, but this was different. This new song was inspired by Bonnie.

“Marceline, you’re on in five,” Mr. Fox called, pointing two fingers towards the front of the stage.

“Okay, cool,” she said, but her voice sounded anything but cool.

She started to pace back and forth, continuing to unconsciously clench and unclench her fists. She was wound up so tight, she didn’t even notice she was being approached by someone. She nearly bolted out of her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, coming face to face with Death.

“Pretty nervous, huh?” he asked, as she let out an anxious sigh.

“I have no idea why.”

Death and her went way back. He used to be an old pal of her dad’s, but her dad screwed that relationship up. For some reason, he never stopped looking after her. So when she got turned into a vampire and he realized she would be around for all of eternity just like him, they only got closer. Marceline loved him like an uncle. And it helped that he played a killer electric.

“Does the princess know you wrote that song about her?”

Marceline scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. “That song isn’t about her.”

Death gave her a pointed look. “Are you joking?”

“Look, she may have given me the idea for it, but that doesn’t mean that it’s about her. It’s just about a feeling.”

“Okay.” Death was never one to argue. “It’s a beautiful song, Marceline. Maybe she’ll find more meaning in it than you do.”

Marceline didn’t know what to say to that. She hadn’t thought she’d wrote her song about Bonnie, but Death was a pretty logical guy. If he was seeing something in her lyrics that she wasn’t, maybe there was truly something else there. Marceline felt sick all over again. She couldn’t decide if she wanted Bonnie to read into the lyrics or not.

“Marceline, you’re up,” Mr. Fox said, appearing out of nowhere for his updates like he did every time.

No backing out now. They had a packed yard and a new single to perform. Their last show would have to be a damn good one. Marceline took in a deep breath and made her way over to the front of the stage. The curtains parted and she surveyed the crowd, spotting Bonnie almost instantly. She was only a few rows behind the front of the stage. Marceline swallowed as Bonnie gave her a little wave.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” she asked, speaking into the mic with more energy than she actually felt. “I know you’re all bummed out about this being our last performance of the year, but we have a new song to perform for you all tonight. Never before heard, so be on the lookout for that. And, uh, let’s get this party started.”

Everyone went wild as the chords to their first song started. Marceline threw herself into her music, letting it swallow her whole. She had no difficulty performing each and every one of her usual songs. It was when they got to her new one that she started to lose the momentum. Death shot her a look when she hesitated to start it, but this song was all on her terms. Instead of just playing it and having it blend into the set, she decided to introduce it properly.

“This song is called ‘Pink Snow,’” she said, counting off on her fingers for LSP and Death to see, and then beginning the song.

When all their sounds came together, it gave Marceline chills. She managed her way through the first stanza, and then the second, all without realizing something: her feet were cemented onto the stage floor. She was sweating now. Maybe Death was right. Maybe that song was about Bonnie. And as she powered through the rest of the song, her eyes locked with Bonnie’s once. The princess was looking at her in a way no one else had ever looked at her before.

Marceline felt whatever bit of color she had left to her drain away, gutted by the effect Bonnie had on her. She averted her gaze, choosing to look far out into the crowd, nearly blinding herself with the stage lights. Everyone went nuts for the new song. They performed two more after it, and then the set was over.

Once backstage, Marceline went over to the bathroom, sure she was going to puke. Nothing came out, so she leaned over the sink, splashing cold water onto her face. She was probably being ridiculous, but her legs still felt a little wobbly from the whole thing. There was a knock on the bathroom door and Marceline wiped her face off, rolling her shoulders back to shake off the weird energy.

“Marceline, get your butt out here!” LSP yelled, banging even louder on the door.

Marceline swung it open, frowning at her impatient friend. “What’s the rush?"

“The crowd is going crazy out there! They want to talk to you about your new song,” LSP said, shaking excitedly. “C’mon, we have to go talk to them. I know you’ve been going straight to Princess Bubblegum after the shows, but not tonight. Our fans need you!”

For once, Marceline felt relieved by the duty she had to engage with their friends and fans. She did not think she could face Bonnie tonight. She needed to get her shit together before she could even think about being alone with the princess again. She let LSP drag her out from behind the stage, smiling at the large groups of people all waiting to talk to her.

By the time the crowd started to disperse, Bonnie and Lady had been long gone. Marceline was surprised that Death had stuck around. He was normally the first one out of there once the curtains closed. Their band was all that remained.

“You guys want to go out for a drink?” Death asked. “To toast to another great season of performing?”

“Only if you’re buying!” LSP said, knowing that he would.

Marceline nodded, thinking that sounded like exactly what she needed. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

\-----

Marceline was never one to say no to a party. Especially not after concert season ended and she had nothing but loads of free time on her hands. She never even really had to know the reason for the party, or who was throwing it. All that mattered to her was the time and place.

So when LSP called her up that night and told her there was a party in the woods they absolutely could not miss, Marceline was ready to go in ten. She put on her black boots and ripped jeans, threw on an old band t-shirt, and met LSP out front. They floated over to the woods and could hear the party before they even saw it.

Everyone was there. People from all the kingdoms were drinking and hanging out with one another. Marceline grabbed herself a mixed drink and started catching up with a couple of her old ghost pals. With the drinks flowing and the music rocking, it was easy to lose track of time. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been there for when she heard a familiar voice from behind her, making her stomach flip.

“Hi, Marceline.”

Marceline turned around, staring straight into the eyes of Bonnie. The princess looked a little shy, like she didn’t know if it were okay for her to be approaching the vampire or not. Marceline felt guilty for making Bonnie doubt herself like that. It was completely her fault for avoiding her, but she couldn’t bring herself to face the princess after the way she’d looked at her during their last show. It was all just too confusing.

“Bonnie, hey. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Completely true. “I didn’t think you were the partying type.”

“Well, Lady told me there was a good chance you’d be here tonight, so I tagged along with her,” Bonnie said, playing with her hands. “I’ve missed you.”

Marceline flushed, trying not to let her emotions overwhelm her. “I’ve missed you, too. Sorry I haven’t come around in a while. Things got a little hectic once the tour ended, but they’re starting to cool off now. Maybe we could do something next week.”

“I’d really like that.” Bonnie smiled at her. “So, about your last show, I-”

“No way. Marceline, is that you?”

Marceline turned around, feeling really sick all of a sudden. There wouldn’t have been worse timing in all of the world. How was it possible that Marceline was running into one of her ex-girlfriends (if you could even call her that) for the first time in over a century at the exact moment she was talking to Bonnie, who she was currently in way too deep over. And like a kid to a candy store, LSP came floating over from out of nowhere, her eyes already dancing with amusement.

“Hey, Huntress Wizard. Funny seeing you here,” Marceline remarked, glaring at LSP who was giggling at the tension.

“Well, you are on my turf right now. How long’s it been, Marce? A hundred years?”

Marceline shrugged. “Just about, I’d say.”

“You totally never called her back, Marceline,” LSP blurted, and Marceline made a vow to get her back once they were alone.

Marceline chuckled nervously. “Uh, sorry about that. I just got caught up in other things and well, I thought you’d be fine without the call. We only went out a few times. It wasn’t anything serious.”

“You used to date?” Bonnie asked, her voice sounding small despite the surprise in her tone.

Marceline felt her insides twist. “Sorta.”

“Way to downplay it, Marceline. You’re still the best kisser I’ve ever met,” Huntress Wizard said, grinning wickedly.

LSP was giggling hysterically now. “Oh my Glob!”

Marceline risked a glance at Bonnie, wondering what the hell her new friend must be thinking. She didn’t want Bonnie to think that there was still something going on between her and the Huntress Wizard, but if Bonnie was upset, wouldn’t that mean that she was into her? At the very least, she wasn’t grossed out by the knowledge of Marceline liking girls, right?

“Look, I don’t hold it against you. It was a long time ago, and a lot has changed. I wouldn’t mind giving it another go,” Huntress Wizard said. “What do you say?”

Marceline almost choked. “Um, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I mean, I’m not really looking to date right now.”

“She’s totally got her eye on somebody else anyway,” LSP added, and Marceline shot her friend yet another death glare.

What was she going to do with her? LSP was completely unfiltered and lived for drama. This whole encounter was probably her wet dream! And at Marceline’s expense. The vampire looked between the Huntress Wizard and Bonnie, trying to decide who looked the most confused. Bonnie. It was definitely her.

“Is this true, Marceline?” Huntress Wizard asked.

Marceline laughed to play it cool, but she knew it sounded forced. “Um, maybe.”

She knew she needed to get out of that conversation before LSP took it that extra step and exposed who it was she had feelings for in the first place. She wasn’t ready for Bonnie to know that just yet, and she knew nothing was off the table in LSP’s mind.

“I actually have to get going, but it was cool running into you. Uh, take care,” Marceline said, backing away before anyone could protest.

She floated out of the open woods area where they had been partying, disappearing into a wide expanse of trees. There were a few stragglers over there, kissing or arguing, but Marceline ignored them. They were of no concern to her. She was only half surprised when she heard a pair of footsteps trailing behind her. The only question was who it could have been. She had her reasons for it not wanting to be any of them.

“Marcy, wait.”

Marceline couldn’t help the flip her stomach did.

“Hey, Bonnie. Sorry you had to hear all that. I definitely wasn’t expecting anything like that to happen tonight. Otherwise, I would have just stayed home with my bass.”

Bonnie looked concerned. “You don’t have to apologize to me. That was kind of mean for your friend to escalate things.”

“LSP is not the easiest person to get along with sometimes,” she agreed. “But that was a problem I’d been avoiding for a long time. I was going to have to address it at some point.”

A silence fell over them that weighed more than Marceline was comfortable with. There was so much to say, yet no words came out. She sighed, exhausted with herself and the situation she was in. Bonnie shifted uncomfortably.

“I know you said that you had other things to do tonight, but I really only came out here to see you and there’s no way Lady’s gonna want to take me back to the Candy Kingdom so soon. Is there any way you could stick around for a little while longer?”

Marceline wondered if it was a good idea for them to spend any more time together considering all the talking they needed to get done. She was in no mood to deal with it tonight, but she couldn’t bring herself to say no to Bonnie. She glanced back in the direction of the party, knowing that at the very least, she couldn’t walk back into that lion’s den.

“How about I walk you home?” she offered.

Bonnie lit up. “I’d love that.”

They started off in the direction of the Candy Kingdom. Despite living there, Bonnie took Marceline’s lead as she guided them through the thick of the woods. Marceline was tempted by the idea of taking a shortcut, but decided against it when she felt Bonnie’s hand bump against hers on accident. She’d do anything to increase the odds of that happening again, even if by mistake.

“So, what’s it like now that your tour is over?” Bonnie asked, her feet creating crunching sounds with every step she took.

Marceline floated alongside her, watching the leaves appear in Bonnie’s path and anticipating their demise. “It’s fine. Performing is fun and all, but it keeps me tied to this place and I hate not being able to do whatever I want at any given moment.”

“You travel a lot?”

Marceline nodded. “Yeah, I like to explore. There’s so much out there that a lot of people never get to see. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Ooo is home. It’s just nice to be able to get away from it all. Meet some new people. You know what I mean?”

“It sounds nice. Unfortunately for me, I have a kingdom to run. I can’t see myself ever getting the time to explore.”

“C’mon, Bonnie. There’s gotta be somebody you trust to take care of things while you’re gone. Even if just for a couple weeks.”

She shook her head. “The candy people are really needy. I haven’t mastered the independence trait just yet.”

“Well, let me know when you do. I’ll be your tour guide out of this place. I’ll take you to all the best spots.”

Bonnie smiled. “I would like that.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, but this one wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable. Their hands still had yet to brush against one another’s again, but Marceline was still holding out hope for it. The moonlight lit their path for them, guiding them out of the woods, finally, and into an open clearing. The Candy Kingdom could be seen out in the distance.

“Marceline? Can I ask you something?”

“Um, sure.”

Bonnie was gnawing on her lip, anxiously. “It’s about that song you wrote. The one you performed at your last show.”

Marceline stayed quiet, waiting for the question to come. It really could have been anything, but she could guess where this conversation was headed. She figured she might have even been expecting it.

“Do you know which song I’m talking about?”

“Pink Snow?”

It almost looked like Bonnie shuddered at the sound of the song title, but she couldn’t have been sure. It was pretty chilly out. Still, she thought about what Death had told her at the show, and again, contemplated the idea of there being more to the song she wrote than just the surface level crap.

“Yeah, that’s the one. I just wanted to ask you what it was about,” Bonnie said.

Marceline let out a low whistle. “Uh, I guess it’s about a feeling. I love the way snow feels, but white snow could mean anything. Pink signifies happiness.”

“It does?”

Now it was Marceline’s turn to bite her lip, nervous about the idea of being too obvious in her feelings towards the princess. “To me it does. It’s just a song, Bonnie. At the end of the day, all that matters is that it doesn’t sound like absolute garbage.”

“None of your music sounds like garbage, Marceline. In fact, I wish I could listen to your songs every night.”

Marceline felt her cheeks redden, knowing she was definitely reading into whatever that meant. Bonnie didn’t take it back, though. And Marceline knew she'd meant what she’d said. The front gate to the kingdom was in plain sight, meaning their goodbye was near.

“Thanks. Maybe I’ll give you a private show.”

She cringed, not meaning for that to sound the way that it did, but it made Bonnie giggle, so she didn’t regret saying it all that much.

“That sounds like a plan to me,” Bonnie said. “I’ll have to think of some way to repay you.”

Marceline wanted to tell her that just spending time with her was payment enough, but she knew it wouldn’t come out the way she wanted it to. Instead, she smiled, continuing to head towards the big gate with Bonnie at her side. Bonnie abruptly stopped once they were a few feet away, facing Marceline with a sheepish look on her face.

“I think it’s best we say our goodbyes right here,” she said, a sorry somewhere hidden behind her soft, pink mouth.

Marceline knew. She could almost hear the apology in her voice. She didn’t make it into a big deal, though. Bonnie had her reasons for not wanting the candy people to know how good of friends they’d become. Marceline wasn’t about to go pushing her boundaries any time soon.

“It was nice talking to you, Bonnie.”

She smiled. “Thanks for walking me home, Marceline. I really appreciate it.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it. If you ever need another escort to your gates, just let me know. I’m usually always down for a late night stroll.”

Bonnie’s smile only grew, and soon her hand was brushing against Marceline’s again, only this time, on purpose. Her fingers wrapped loosely around the vampire’s, and Marceline could feel the breath stuck in her throat as her feet touched the dewy ground. She couldn’t bring her hand to react, and like most perfect moments were, it was fleeting. When Bonnie’s hand was back at her side, Marceline felt her heart sink.

“So, we’ll hang out next week?” Bonnie asked, looking slightly embarrassed and maybe even a tad rejected.

Marceline started to panic, hoping Bonnie only looked disappointed. However, she knew deep down that she had done something wrong by not responding. Without thinking, she reached for the princess’s hand herself, letting the warmth of it spread through her fingertips and out into her palm. A cloud of air left Bonnie’s mouth, and Marceline knew her ice cold skin was doing nothing to help the already cold night air.

“Next week sounds awesome,” Marceline said, letting go of her hand before she did something stupid. “Goodnight, Bonnie.”

She started to float away, stretching her palm out reflexively as Bonnie’s warmth continued to radiate through her body. Her heart was fluttering at the ghost touch of the princess, and a new feeling started to overcome her emotions.

“Hey, Marcy,” Bonnie said, calling out for the vampire one last time before she left hearing range.

Marceline froze. “Yeah?”

“Was it about me?”

Marceline didn’t even have to ask what she was referring to. And that time, she didn’t even have to wonder what the answer to that question was.

“Yes.”

And then she turned around and kept walking, welcoming the feeling of her palms sweating that time. In a way, feeling things was kinda nice.

\-----

“No turning back now,” Marceline muttered to herself, floating up to the top of the castle where bright light shone through a solitary window.

The window was closed, but one peek inside showed Marceline that Bonnie was home. The younger girl was sitting at her desk, scribbling things frantically into the same notebook she’d been using in the garden all those weeks ago. Marceline watched her for a moment, allowing the butterflies in her stomach time to settle. Then, using one hand, she gently rapped her knuckles against the clear pane.

Bonnie jumped at the noise, and Marceline figured as much would happen. She hadn’t exactly given the princess a heads up about her visit tonight. There was just no guarantee that she was going to be able to go through with this, so she avoided a set commitment. Bonnie smiled as she approached the window, clearly pleased to see who was outside. The moment the window was pushed open, Marceline flew inside.

“Hey, Marcy,” Bonnie greeted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Marceline surveyed her surroundings, comparing the actual room to the one she had envisioned in her head. It was very pink, but not in an obvious way. The furniture was nice, cozy. She clearly had excellent taste in decor. Marceline had to admit that she found the room to feel very safe.

“Hi, Bonnie. Were you busy?”

Bonnie shook her head. “I was just working on a few things. Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. I’m happy to see you.”

Marceline turned to face her, floating on her back as she smirked. “Didn’t think I was going to show?”

“In all honesty, not really.” Bonnie took a seat on her bed. “But I’m really happy that you did.”

“Well, now that you have me here, what would you like to do, Princess?”

Bonnie’s cheeks looked like they were on fire with the deep blush that settled over them and Marceline thought she could have interpreted that in a completely different way than intended. She hadn’t meant for it to come out as flirty as it had, but she knew it would make things even more tense if she tried to backtrack.

“I don’t exactly know. Do you have any ideas?” Bonnie asked, her voice quiet.

Marceline started floating upright again. “Um, I don’t know. I know of a few cool places in Ooo that not too many people know about. I could take you to one tonight.”

“That sounds amazing, but I’m not supposed to leave the castle right now. If any of my candy people see me leave, they’ll wonder where I’m going and who I’m going with.”

Marceline shrugged. “Then sneak out.”

Bonnie looked shocked. “How?”

“Through your window. It’s way too high up for any of your candy people to notice you leaving. I’ll carry you away from here and then we can walk the rest of the way once we’re in the clear.”

Marceline wanted to feel proud about coming up with that idea on the spot, but that would have been a lie. The truth was that she had actually given it a lot of thought, almost hoping the princess would not be able to leave through the castle’s entrance. Bonnie seemed to contemplate it for all of three seconds before nodding eagerly.

“Okay, let me grab my coat.”

Marceline waited patiently by the window, staring at her nails while she pretended she didn’t care that she was about to carry Bonnie out of there. They had never had much physical contact, but this would be something else entirely. Bonnie came over to her, one coat heavier and a grin on her face.

“So, how should we do this?”

Marceline felt herself break out into a sweat, suddenly extremely nervous. “Oh, um, whichever way you feel the safest. You could get on my back? Or I could... carry you in my arms?”

“The second option,” Bonnie said, but it didn’t sound like much of a decision.

Marceline didn’t want to say another word. She knew it was one of those moments where if she didn’t act fast, she’d chicken out entirely. In one swift movement, she swooped the princess into her arms, making sure her arms were wrapped securely around her neck before taking off. Bonnie gasped, clinging on tight to her. Marceline had never felt such warmth in all of her life. She noticed she was hanging onto the princess just as tight.

“You okay, Bonnie?” she asked, feeling the princess settle in more comfortably in her arms.

Bonnie nodded, and Marceline got a god whiff of the scent of bubblegum that came from her hair. It almost made her dizzy, but she knew she needed to keep her head on straight. Anything short of that meant Bonnie’s life was at risk. They flew past the Candy Kingdom and out into the night, and even when they were a safe enough distance away, Marceline still did not want to let the princess go. Maybe Bonnie felt the same way, because she did not say anything about being put back down, even though she could tell for herself that they were in the clear.

They flew for five more minutes before the abandoned amusement park Marceline was taking them to came into view. Some teens she’d run into used it as a skate park, but really nobody else ever went there. Marceline liked to hang out and imagine the way it used to be when it was first built. She began her descent right inside the heart of the park, feeling Bonnie cling tightly to her again.

Then her feet were on the ground, and the princess was easing her way out of her grasp, one leg at a time. She smiled thankfully at Marceline, but did not remove her arms from around her neck. Marceline froze, unsure of what to do or say with Bonnie looking at her like that. It was the same look she’d given her at the concert. Her stomach was doing somersaults.

“Thanks for the ride, Marcy.”

Her words were so close, Marceline could feel them ghost over her skin. She took a deliberate step back, and Bonnie drew her arms back in, looking embarrassed. Marceline could not find it in her to assure her it was okay, because it wasn’t. She had no idea if Bonnie was into her, or just really nice. All of this wondering was going to drive her crazy.

“What do you think of the place?” Marceline asked, directing the conversation somewhere else. “Pretty cool, right?”

Bonnie looked around, seeming to truly appreciate the hidden gem Marceline had chosen to share with her. There really wasn’t much to see besides some broken rides and tagged walls, but there was something magical about that place, and Marceline knew Bonnie could feel it. The princess looked in awe.

“Cool doesn’t do it justice. I never would have known about this place if you hadn’t taken me here. Thank you, Marceline.”

“No need to thank me, Princess. Just promise you’ll keep this place a secret for me, huh? I don’t want anybody else finding out about the magic here.”

Bonnie solemnly nodded. “I promise. This will be our secret.”

Marceline smiled. “Good. Now, let me give you a tour of the place.”

Marceline took her all around the amusement park, from the half-remaining roller coasters, to the cleared out concession stands full of old food packaging. She showed her even so much as the bathrooms, because there was a wall in one of the stalls where she had written some of her lyrics down. Bonnie took everything in with wide eyes, completely invested. They rested on some busted swings at the end of the tour, staring up into the night sky. The stars were extra bright that night. And the moon shone down on them with purpose.

“What a night,” Marceline found herself saying.

“Yeah,” Bonnie whispered. “Probably one of the best nights of my life.”

Marceline looked over at her, feeling gutted by how much she liked the princess. It made her sad to think nothing romantic would ever come of it. Her heart felt swollen and her mind felt numb. Bonnie locked eyes with her, and the world froze.

“I’m so happy I met you, Marceline,” she said.

The vampire remained stiff, unsure of what to say. “That means a lot, Bonnie.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened at the party in the woods. About what I learned.”

Marceline swallowed, staring down at her boots. “What? That I’m gay?”

Maybe this was going to ruin everything. Maybe Bonnie was actually put off by the information. Nobody in Ooo was really against that kind of thing, but she’d met others in her lifetime who were. She couldn’t change who she was. If Bonnie didn’t accept it, she would have to say goodbye to a really good friend.

“Yeah. That.” Bonnie let out a breath. “Was it a secret?”

“No. Everyone knows already. I never find the need to tell people anymore.”

“How did you know you were gay?”

Marceline wondered where this conversation was going. Bonnie didn’t sound angry or upset. Just curious. Maybe even a little shy.

“I guess I’ve always known. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been attracted to girls. It’s just the way I’ve lived my life.”

There was silence as Bonnie seemed to process her response. Marceline’s hands tightened around the chains of the swing, almost in agony from being left in the dark about where this conversation was going. Soon, Bonnie was looking in her direction again, a question deep behind her eyes.

“Are you attracted to me?” she asked.

Marceline felt like she’d been punched in the gut. Her eyes widened and she looked away from Bonnie, her mind racing a thousand miles per hour. There was no right way to answer that question. One would mean exposing herself and risking losing a good friend. The other meant lying to somebody who deserved more respect than that. Bonnie waited patiently.

“I don’t really know what to say, Bonnie. What answer are you looking for?”

“The truth.”

Marceline bit her lip, weighing her options one last time before deciding. “Yes.”

As soon as her word of admission left her lips, she felt warm lips against her own and realized the princess was kissing her. She allowed herself to sink into the kiss, shutting down her brain as she relished in the feeling of ecstasy that came along with kissing Bonnie. Bonnie moved off of her swing and onto Marceline’s, wrapping her arms back around the vampire as she straddled her lap. Marceline thought she’d died again and gone to heaven.

Yes, it had been over a century since she’d kissed a girl, but even then, she knew with all certainty that a kiss had never felt the way that one did. Bonnie made her insides warm. She was almost convinced she was alive again. Bonnie’s tongue slipped into Marceline’s mouth and the vampire lost her grip on the chains, falling backwards towards the ground with the princess still on top of her.

She floated just in time to avoid hitting the ground, pulling away to look into Bonnie’s eyes and notice that the princess hadn’t looked concerned in the slightest. Almost as if she knew Marceline wouldn’t let her get hurt. Marceline felt her face warm, smiling sheepishly up at Bonnie who looked just as flushed.

“Um, wow,” Marceline said, shifting so that they were both back on their feet again. “Definitely wasn’t expecting that.”

“I thought I was being too obvious about liking you,” Bonnie admitted, her voice soft. “Good to know I can still take you by surprise.”

“You give only the best surprises, Bonnie.”

They smiled at each other, and for the first time in weeks, Marceline was able to finally laugh about everything she’d been going through since meeting Bonnie. She felt relieved and happy. Bonnie gave her a curious look that Marceline met with a content smile. She reached for the princess’s hand, holding it like the treasure that it was.

“I can’t believe you’re into chicks. Do you know I had LSP asking damn near everybody in Ooo if you were gay or not?”

Bonnie’s jaw dropped, but she looked amused. “You did not.”

“I did! And guess what? Every single person said that you were as straight as they come. I thought I didn’t even stand a chance.”

Bonnie laughed. “Well, lucky for the both of us you did. And I have a feeling that even if I weren’t into girls, I’d make an exception for you.”

“Don’t flatter me, Bonnie,” Marceline said, but she was eating it all up. “Even Lady said she didn’t know if you swung that way. I thought if anything, you’d tell her.”

“I thought she knew,” Bonnie said. “I mean, all I ever did was talk about you. And she was only going with me to your shows to get us to interact.”

“Who knew Lady was quite the matchmaker?” They laughed and Marceline wrapped an arm around Bonnie’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Wait until LSP finds out about this. She’s going to flip.”

“Do I even want to be around when you tell her?”

Marceline laughed again. “Ha! Probably not.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think :)


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